NIJ Multisite Impact and Cost-Efficiency Evaluation of Veterans Treatment Courts, Fiscal Year 2022 | O NIJ 2022 171012

Opportunity Information: Apply for O NIJ 2022 171012

The NIJ Multisite Impact and Cost-Efficiency Evaluation of Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs), Fiscal Year 2022, is a Department of Justice National Institute of Justice (NIJ) discretionary research funding opportunity designed to generate strong, multi-jurisdiction evidence on how veterans treatment courts work, who they work for, and whether they deliver results at a reasonable cost. NIJ, working in collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), is seeking a single organization to lead a coordinated, cross-site evaluation of up to six VTCs across the United States. The larger DOJ purpose behind the solicitation is tied to public safety and justice system goals: protecting communities from crime and evolving threats, improving access to justice, supporting victims, advancing civil rights, and building trust between law enforcement and communities. Programmatically, it aligns with DOJ Strategic Objective 3.1 (combat violent crime, promote safe communities, and uphold victims rights) and fits within NIJ's Courts Strategic Research Plan for 2020 to 2024.

The award is structured as a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, meaning NIJ expects to play an active role in the project as it develops and proceeds, particularly around research design, implementation, and cross-site coordination. NIJ anticipated making one award with an estimated maximum (award ceiling) of $3,000,000. The project period is five years and begins with a planning phase. That initial phase is intended to lock down the research protocol in detail, including final site selection among participating VTCs, confirmation of data access and sharing arrangements, and agreement on core measures so that results can be compared meaningfully across different courts.

The core work supported by this solicitation is a multisite evaluation that combines process evaluation, impact evaluation, and cost and cost-efficiency analysis. NIJ specifically calls for experimental design and other rigorous research methods, which signals a preference for strong causal approaches (for example, random assignment where feasible, or other high-quality quasi-experimental strategies when randomization is not possible). The impact portion is expected to examine key outcomes associated with VTC participation, including relapse, recidivism, and other measurable participant outcomes relevant to justice involvement and recovery. The evaluation is also expected to move beyond the simple question of whether VTCs "work" and instead dig into variation: which participants benefit most, which program components drive positive outcomes, and whether the overall approach produces benefits that justify its costs. In other words, the study is meant to help practitioners and policymakers understand not only effectiveness, but also mechanisms and value for money.

NIJ highlights several topics of interest that applicants may incorporate into the cross-site study. These include how VTCs serve veterans with violent offense histories, how courts address mental health needs and co-occurring conditions (comorbidity), and how programs may leverage technology to deliver services or monitor compliance. The solicitation also points to peer mentoring as a potentially important element of the VTC model, reflecting the common practice of using veteran peers to support participant engagement and accountability. Another explicit focus is equitable access to services, suggesting the evaluation should consider whether certain groups face barriers to participating in VTCs or receiving comparable services and supports, and whether outcomes differ across demographic or other subgroups due to differential access or program implementation.

Operationally, the selected awardee is expected to lead and manage a set of partnerships that include both the courts and research partners at each participating site. The solicitation underscores an important administrative rule for multi-partner projects: only one entity can submit the application as the primary applicant, and any other participating agencies or organizations that will use federal funds must be budgeted and structured as subrecipients (rather than separate co-applicants). This is meant to keep accountability and grant administration clear while still allowing a consortium-style project with multiple sites and contributors.

Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of public, nonprofit, academic, and private entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses, with additional eligibility clarification referenced in the full solicitation. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 16.560, falls within a science and technology or other research and development activity category, and was released by NIJ within DOJ. Key dates included an original posting/creation date of October 29, 2021, with an original application closing date of January 13, 2022.

Finally, NIJ indicated it would post a webinar on its website to explain the cross-site evaluation concept, the research solicitation requirements, and research partner and site eligibility. That kind of webinar typically serves to clarify expectations around methodological rigor, site recruitment, data requirements, and what NIJ considers responsive to the solicitation, which matters in a competition where only one award is expected and the goal is to produce nationally useful, comparable findings across multiple veterans treatment court settings.

• The Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIJ Multisite Impact and Cost-Efficiency Evaluation of Veterans Treatment Courts, Fiscal Year 2022" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.560.
• This funding opportunity was created on Oct 29, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 13, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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